Coast Guard locates overdue sailboat; Men safely returned home

Dec 31st, 2013 · Comments Off on Coast Guard locates overdue sailboat; Men safely returned home

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard located two men Tuesday, who were reported overdue, and brought them back ashore after a report from one of the men’s wives stating she heard from them.

At approximately 4:30 a.m., Patrick Holden’s wife called Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi watchstanders and told them her husband had contacted her by mobile phone saying that they were safe in their sailboat and just south of the Port Aransas jetties.

The Coast Guard launched a 45-foot Response Boat — Medium from Coast Guard Station Port Aransas to locate the men. They were found in good condition and taken back ashore by the boatcrew. The men decided to leave their sailboat at anchor and contact commercial salvage to help recover it.

“We are just pleased they are safe. A phone call from the family saying their prayers have been answered is the best feeling for all involved trying to find them,” said Cmdr. Daniel Deptula, the response officer at Sector Corpus Christi. “We utilized aircraft from as far away as Clearwater, Florida, to conduct an extensive search that covered nearly 10,000 square miles. Several concerned mariners that heard our broadcasts on VHF-FM channel 16 gave us reports that were investigated and the local media supported the search with news reports. It was a great team effort with an even greater ending.”